It's Time
by JenRar
Summary: Stephanie goes into labor and is alone in the apartment. Will Ranger get there in time? Sweet fluff. No real angst.


_Disclaimer: JE owns them. I do not._

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**It's Time**

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**Stephanie's POV**

I stumbled my way to the table to grab my phone. I was just about to flip it open, when another contraction hit.

_Breathe, Stephanie_, I told myself. _You can get through this one_.

As soon as the contraction passed, I hit speed dial one.

"Babe!" Ranger's voice was full of panic. "Are you okay?"

I knew calling him in the middle of the night while he was on a stakeout would scare him, but unfortunately, the little one inside me had decided that now was the time.

"I'm okay, Ranger. I think it's time, though." My words came out in a whisper.

"I'm on my way, Babe." I heard him tell Tank in the background to call Bobby and Lester and get them up to me now. He came back to me then. "How far apart are the contractions?"

"I've only had a couple, but I think they're every ten min—" My voice broke as I doubled over with the pain of a new contraction.

"Babe? Breathe, Babe. The guys should be up there to you in less than a minute. Steph..." Ranger's voice was getting higher and louder with every word.

"Oh God, Ranger. That was strong. I take it back. I think they're down to every three minutes. Hurry, Ranger, please! I can't do this without you!" I knew I was whining, but there was no way I wanted to do this without him.

"Keep talking to me, Babe. We're about five minutes away."

There was a knock on the door, and then it flew open and Bobby and Lester came in.

"Hey, Steph, how ya doin'?" Bobby's voice was soothing as he came over to help me to my feet.

"Beautiful, couldn't you wait until Ranger got home to go into labor?" Lester chuckled when I shot him a double 'Burg glare.

"Not. My. Fault," I said, cradling my very pregnant belly with both hands.

"Babe, the guys are with you?" Ranger's voice was a bit more calm, knowing i wasn't alone.

"Yeah, they're here. Oh God, here it comes again. Ranger, hurry!"

Bobby looked at Lester. "She's not going to make it until Ranger gets here. We need to get her to the hospital now."

I cried out at the contraction hit hard and felt Lester pick me up, holding me close. "Breathe, Beautiful."

Bobby took the phone from my hand and pressed a button. "Boss, meet us at the hospital. We're taking her there now. You're on speaker now."

"Got it. Babe, I'll see you in just a couple of minutes. Listen to Bobby, okay? Remember to breathe, Babe. I love you."

"I love you, too, but hurry! I can't do this without you!" I hung on to Lester as we rushed out to the garage and got into the SUV.

Two contractions later, we were pulling up to the hospital, and I heard the screech of tires, letting me know Ranger was right behind us.

"Shit! I need to push!" I cried out, bearing down.

"Not yet, Steph!" Bobby's voice commanded. "Wait until we get you inside. Breathe!"

My door was flung open, and I was suddenly swooped up into Ranger's arms. "Come on, Babe. Let's go have this baby!"

He rushed me inside, and when a gourney appeared, I knew someone had called ahead. As soon as he set me down, I grabbed onto his hand.

A contraction hit, and I screamed. "I have to push. Now!"

There was a flurry of activity, and a doctor in green scrubs was pulling my skirt up even as we were moving back into the privacy of a curtained off area of the ER.

"I see the head. Push, Mrs. Manoso. When you have a contraction, lean up and bear down."

I pulled myself up, feeling Bobby supporting me from behind. Lester and Ranger were holding my hands, and I leaned forward as much as I could and cried out again.

"Don't scream. Just bear down. Put all your energy into pushing. This baby wants out, and he or she wants out _now_," the doctor said. "It won't take much."

I grunted when the pain hit again and pushed harder than I thought was possible. Two pushes later, I felt like I was being ripped in two.

"That's it, Babe. The head is out. One more push, Stephanie. I love you. Come on, you can do it!"

Another contraction hit, and I pushed hard. Suddenly, the pain was gone. I heard a baby cry and looked down in time to see the doctor smile.

"Congratulations! You have a beautiful baby girl!"

I began to bawl, not feeling any pain or pressure as the doctor finished cleaning me up. My eyes followed the baby as she was wiped, suctioned, and then wrapped and handed to me.

Ranger knelt down beside my head, his eyes moving slowly between the baby and me. "Babe, she's beautiful."

"She looks like both of us, Ranger. Look at those blue eyes, straight, dark hair, and dark skin. She's absolutely perfect." I couldn't stop the tears from falling as I looked at our perfect daughter. "Madeline Rose Manoso, welcome to the world, little one."

"I'm so proud of you, Babe," Ranger said, tears in his eyes.

"You weren't in labor but an hour, Beautiful. Maybe that's some kind of record!" Lester's voice was full of humor.

I laughed. "Thanks, Les. Thank you, Bobby. I would have had her at home if you guys hadn't been there. We owe you a lot!"

"Our pleasure, Steph," Bobby assured me.

He grabbed Lester's arm and pulled him toward the door. "We'll go call your family and RangeMan. I'm sure Tank has called Lula."

We nodded and waved them out, watching as the doctor and nurse followed them.

Ranger pulled up a chair and sat down beside me, one hand holding my own and the other rubbing our new daughter's cheek softly. "Thank you, Babe. Thank you for not only being the perfect wife for me, but for giving me the perfect daughter. I love you."

I smiled at him and looked down at the now sleeping Maddie. "I love you, too, Carlos. Thank you for being here with me."

"I wouldn't be anywhere else, Babe."


End file.
